Culvert cleaner and post hole digger



W. MINIER Oct. 11, 1938.

CULVERT CLEANER AND POST HOLE DIGGER Filed May 24, 1938 gwuantoo WIY/I'am Mmier swinging blade Patented Oct. 11, 1938 CULVERT CLEANER AND POST HOLE D'IGGER William Minier, Milo Toiwnship, Bureau County,

Application May 24, 1938, SerialNo. 209,855

' 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a culvert cleaner and post-hole digger, and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an object of the invention to provide-aprovide means for retaining loosened material,

and to also provide means for actuating the for discharge of material therefrom.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a tool of the type described which may be also employed in the. digging of post-holes.

Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of the tool.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

In carrying out the invention, I make use of a shovel-like member I0 having a ferrule II for securement of a handle I2. The handle I2 is preferably of substantial length in order that the shovel may be advanced well within a culvert or post-hole, as the case may be.

At a suitable point upon the upper forward end of the ferrule I I there is provided a pair of upstanding ears I3, the upper end being apertured to receive a pivot pin I4 which rockably mounts a lever I5, the pivot of which is intermediate its length. The ends of the lever are apertured and in respective apertures there is pivoted a link It and a link IT. The link I6 has its other end pivotally connected in an ear I8 of a blade I9 swingably mounted in ears 20 of the spade II]. The ears 20 are preferably formed integrally with the spade, positioned at opposite longitudinal edges thereof.

The blade I9 is of semi-circular formation having a cutting edge I9 and parallel arm portions 2|, apertured and aligned with apertures of the ears 28 for reception of a pivot pin 22.

A tension spring 23 is connected between the levers I5 and I5, normally holding the blade I9 inan open position, as shown in Figure l.

The link I! is reduced and threaded, as at 24, for adjustable connection with a yoke 25 pivotally connected to a link 26 intermediate its length.

One end of the link 26 is pivotally mounted upon an upstanding ear 2'! of the ferrule II, the other end of the link 26 pivotally mounting a clevis 28, the outer end of which revolubly supports a pulley 29.

An operating cable 30 is trained about the pulley 29, one end being secured to the handle I2 as at 3|, at a point approximately medially of the handle, the other end of the cable being fixed in an eye 32 at the forward end of the handle.

In use, whether employed as a culvert cleaner or post-hole digger, the parts will be in the position shown in full lines ,in Figure 1. In this position, the shovel I0 and blade I9 will be in position to scrape the bottom and top sides of a culvert or the opposite sides of a post hole. Thus, by advancing the tool, the spade and blade will loosen material and when it is desired to remove the material thus loosened, the shovel I0 is advanced to scoop up the material. The cable 30 is now drawn upon in the direction of the arrow, the parts associated with the blade I9 then moving to the position shown by dotted lines, tensioning the spring 23. In this position of the blade I9 the material will be effectively retained upon the shovel I0. When it is desired to discharge the material the cable 30 is released and the spring 23 moves the blade and associated levers and links to their full line positions.

While I have shown and described a preferred construction, this is by way of illustration only, and I consider as my own, all such modifications in structure as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a shovel having a handle, a pair of upstanding ears on the handle, an ear on the longitudinal edgesof the shovel, a semi-circular blade swingably mounted between the ears of the shovel, said blade normally extending at right angles to the shovel, with its cutting edge presented in the same plane as the point of the shovel, a lever pivotally connected to a rear portion of the blade, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its length between the ears of the handle one end having pivotal connection with the first named lever, a further ear on the handle, a link pivoted thereto, an adjustable lever pivoted to the link intermediate its length, said adjustable ,lever having pivotal connection with the other end of the second named lever, and cable means for imparting motion to the link.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which spring means are connected between certain levers for a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its length between the ears of the handle one end having' pivotal connection with the first named lever, a further ear on the handle, a link pivoted thereto, an adjustable lever pivoted to the link intermediate' its length, said adjustable lever having pivotal connection with the other end of the second named lever, a pulley carried by the free end of the link, a cable trained about the pulley, one end of the cable being anchored adjacent the medial portion of the handle, the other end being anchored adjacent the end of the handle, and a 10 helical spring connected between the first and second named levers.

WILLIAM MINIER. 

